Should thanksgiving be a time of family fasting rather than family feasting?

Ana Quin · Nov 23, 2018

Yesterday my husband and I hosted our very first holiday family gathering at our house and it was an AMAZING blowout. We had my family, his family and even some of our closest friends. It was such a good time our home was filled with the laughter and merriment of 4 generations of our combined family's. The oldest being our grand parents and the youngest being my older sister's two babies.
We all had a great time we played games, we talked, we caught up and [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] the food!
I defiantly ate Waaay too much. While we were playing pictonary I plopped down on the couch just a little bit too hard and split the seam of my dress

. In front of my entire family my pasty white biscuit rolls were hanging out there for all to see. I definitely gave everybody a good laugh prompting one of my uncles to comment how chubby I got over the years (there's a lot of teasing in my family but it is all in good fun).
My husband's grandma, whom lived through both the troubles and world war 2 in Ireland jumped to my defense by saying that plump grandchildren is a sign that God had blessed the family. Then we listened to her, her husband, and my grandparents trade stories about the depression on both sides of the pond.
That evening my husband and I started talking about how how lucky we are that we could throw such a shindig and that got us wondering. Are we really giving thanks by indulging in our privilege with a huge feast or should we have all fasted to really appreciate all that we can enjoy in our day to day? I know for a fact my favorite blue dress would have been thankful if we fasted

.

snoochface · Nov 23, 2018

I mean, it sounds like you're saying, "We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. We ate, played games, listened to stories from grandma about all of our blessings, it was filled with laughter and fun and an amazing time. There was even a funny situation where my dress split and we all laughed about it. So should we have, instead, had a somber evening of fasting and sacrifice?"

Ana Quin · Nov 23, 2018

snoochface said:
I mean, it sounds like you're saying, "We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family. We ate, played games, listened to stories from grandma about all of our blessings, it was filled with laughter and fun and an amazing time. There was even a funny situation where my dress split and we all laughed about it. So should we have, instead, had a somber evening of fasting and sacrifice?"

Yes that's exactly what I am asking. We had a great time and it was definitely a blessing. Or family gets along great despite encompassing a mixture of denominations, because of this we often have lively and spirited discussions about things like dogma. This is just one of those things that came up as a topic of discussion that I thought was interesting and made me wonder hmm what about that?

snoochface · Nov 23, 2018

I'm just saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving and everyone expressed their thankfulness too. Being with and appreciating your loved ones, and being thankful for your blessings, is what the day is about. It sounds like you accomplished that very well.

Ana Quin · Nov 23, 2018

snoochface said:
I'm just saying, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. It sounds like you had a great Thanksgiving and everyone expressed their thankfulness too. Being with and appreciating your loved ones, and being thankful for your blessings, is what the day is about. It sounds like you accomplished that very well.

You are right
!!. That's such a great way of thinking about this (I really didn't want to have to fast anyways :dontcare:

).
After reading some of these other threads here I feel so doubly blessed that my family has so much chill. That's probably one of the reasons why my sisters and I are so supremely comfortable in our own skins. Splitting my dress and the resulting teasing was a little embarrassing but it was all in good fun. I still need to get my uncle back though for proposing a party game where all our guests tried to guess which one of us sisters was the heaviest (we've all gained a noticeable amount of weight since college. I won clocking in at a scale crushing 165lbs

)
Yeah, I am really blessed with my family, my husband and I argue about which Starwars is the best or if pineapple should be on pizza or not. I can say we never have any issues with fist fights, dirty pictures, "old friends" coming back into the picture, Kung fu battles, or some of the wackier things people post about here.

snoochface · Nov 23, 2018

... Kung fu battles ...

Ana Quin · Nov 23, 2018

DZoolander said:
After having read further -

Does your husband make Texas smokers, have an unusual obsession with katanas, etc?

Ana Quin · Nov 23, 2018

snoochface said:
... Kung fu battles ...

See below

DZoolander said:
After having read further -

Does your husband make Texas smokers, have an unusual obsession with katanas, etc?

snoochface · Nov 23, 2018

Oh I knew exactly what you were referring to.

johndoo · Nov 24, 2018

You know the saying, "for everything there is a season."
I think it is pertinent here. The Thanksgiving holiday is tradition with its huge meal. If God calls you to fast that day or any other day, please listen. But I don't think we need to become buried in guilt because of our blessings. God calls us to be thankful. So give thanks!

DZoolander · Nov 24, 2018

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a post of mine referenced in a different thread

snoochface · Nov 24, 2018

DZoolander said:
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a post of mine referenced in a different thread

It's the magic of kung fu bbq smokers

DZoolander · Nov 24, 2018

They are magical things

Titania · Nov 25, 2018

snoochface said:
Oh I knew exactly what you were referring to.

Well aren't we smug

akmom · Dec 4, 2018

I know if I invited my extended family over to fast, there wouldn't be much turnout. Pretty sure my husband and kids would be somewhere else too.

Swan7 · Dec 4, 2018

Ana Quin said:
Yesterday my husband and I hosted our very first holiday family gathering at our house and it was an AMAZING blowout. We had my family, his family and even some of our closest friends. It was such a good time our home was filled with the laughter and merriment of 4 generations of our combined family's. The oldest being our grand parents and the youngest being my older sister's two babies.
We all had a great time we played games, we talked, we caught up and [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] the food!
I defiantly ate Waaay too much. While we were playing pictonary I plopped down on the couch just a little bit too hard and split the seam of my dress. In front of my entire family my pasty white biscuit rolls were hanging out there for all to see. I definitely gave everybody a good laugh prompting one of my uncles to comment how chubby I got over the years (there's a lot of teasing in my family but it is all in good fun).
My husband's grandma, whom lived through both the troubles and world war 2 in Ireland jumped to my defense by saying that plump grandchildren is a sign that God had blessed the family. Then we listened to her, her husband, and my grandparents trade stories about the depression on both sides of the pond.
That evening my husband and I started talking about how how lucky we are that we could throw such a shindig and that got us wondering. Are we really giving thanks by indulging in our privilege with a huge feast or should we have all fasted to really appreciate all that we can enjoy in our day to day? I know for a fact my favorite blue dress would have been thankful if we fasted.

Well that was a good laugh to a good story!

Honestly, what does the Holy Spirit say to you about it? What's your conviction if you have one about this? I can't say yea or nay because I'm not God, I can't see your life the way he sees yours. For me, I find this memory full of happiness, comedy and blessed, as your grandma said. I believe her when she told you that because it reminds me of when Jesus attended that wedding where He turned water into wine. Maybe give that one a read and see if God tells you anything. :angel:

PeachieKeen · Dec 5, 2018

I'm not sure about fasting, but my family decided this year we are probably not going to do the normal Thanksgiving fare anymore. We just don't love the food that much and its so excessive and carby. We would rather make a favorite recipe like fiesta lime chicken or carnitas, spend less time cooking, enjoy the food more, and wind up less miserably full. But that's not for noble reasons as much as its for not loving the turkey naps as much these days and wanting to spend way more time playing games together.

Ana the Ist · Dec 5, 2018

Ana Quin said:
Yesterday my husband and I hosted our very first holiday family gathering at our house and it was an AMAZING blowout. We had my family, his family and even some of our closest friends. It was such a good time our home was filled with the laughter and merriment of 4 generations of our combined family's. The oldest being our grand parents and the youngest being my older sister's two babies.
We all had a great time we played games, we talked, we caught up and [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] the food!
I defiantly ate Waaay too much. While we were playing pictonary I plopped down on the couch just a little bit too hard and split the seam of my dress. In front of my entire family my pasty white biscuit rolls were hanging out there for all to see. I definitely gave everybody a good laugh prompting one of my uncles to comment how chubby I got over the years (there's a lot of teasing in my family but it is all in good fun).
My husband's grandma, whom lived through both the troubles and world war 2 in Ireland jumped to my defense by saying that plump grandchildren is a sign that God had blessed the family. Then we listened to her, her husband, and my grandparents trade stories about the depression on both sides of the pond.
That evening my husband and I started talking about how how lucky we are that we could throw such a shindig and that got us wondering. Are we really giving thanks by indulging in our privilege with a huge feast or should we have all fasted to really appreciate all that we can enjoy in our day to day? I know for a fact my favorite blue dress would have been thankful if we fasted.

I think getting the family together for a fast isn't likely to reduce arguments over politics, religion, and kids these days.
.
If it's working for you, stick with the feast.

Should thanksgiving be a time of family fasting rather than family feasting?

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